New Study Suggests Kids Can ‘Recover’ From Autism

A new study funded and overseen by the state of Arizona and conducted by the Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) suggests that kids who have autism can recover with the help of intensive behavioral therapy over a three-year period.

The report was released today by the Phoenix-based group’s founder and executive director, Dr. Doreen Granpeesheh.

Fourteen children were tested, given 25 hours or more per week of one-on-one teaching and therapy by trained professionals.

CARD says many of the children made “substantial” gains in cognitive and adaptive functioning as well as language sills. Most of the children, says the study, also made significant improvements in executive functioning.

For the moms looking for more information. My daughter is 5 and was diagnoised with moderate autism w/ severe S.I.B. (self injurious behaviors). I best advice for those seeking ABA therapy is to start with your school distrct. They will not tell you it is offered. You must ask them directly if they have an intense behavior program in the special ed. Dept. Then I would talk to your service coordinator with your Regional Center, they should be able to guide you on behavior services offered. You will have to fight! Continue to tell them, No! My child needs! Lantern act says even a preventive service has to been held as high of a priorty as a non preventive service (in so many words). Other options are to seek care privately, though expensive it is available. There are many companies who offer behavioral intervention or ABA in the la area. Here are a few, CPC, AIM, & Sage to give a few of the top of my head. Also, you can call autism speaks hotline or TACA and they will help you find a company in your area.
My thoughts on the therapy are this:
2 years ago before starting behavior intervention in school she could not sit for 5 seconds, literally. Now sits for 10+ and is moving on to learning shapes and colors this year. Her in home therapy just started three weeks ago. All I can say is wow. They make it seem like magic but it’s not. This wonderful woman from CPC came in my home and in hours had my daughter saying chicken. From there the list has grown ands it’s only been 3 weeks! My little girl hadn’t said a word in 3 years! The days are not so long, and are filled with many more smiles. The road is still long but now there is more of an mutual understanding and it’s like we can both finally see the light.
If you have this therapy available to you, I say go for it!! Hope this helped someone.